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GMAT Preparation – How Long? (Video)

How long should your GMAT preparation period be? This depends entirely on how fast you learn and how much dedication you are willing to put into studying.

In this video Kevin from Magoosh talks about how much time you should spend studying for the GMAT as well as some other considerations when mapping out your time. With these questions and considerations in mind you will develop a clearer idea of how long you should spend on preparation.

How do you handle testing?

Some people are naturally proficient at standardised tests. Other, however, tend to struggle a bit more and therefore need more preparation. Think about which category you fall into and decide accordingly if you should spend more or less time on total exam preparation.

Take into consideration the actual time you have for preparing. So, if you have 1-2 hours a day and you can spend 3-4 hours on weekends, it would be wise to prepare for a total of 3 months. If you have less time than that, probably 6 months are a better alternative for you. Ideally, you want to spend a longer amount of time with shorter study periods each day.

Base vs. Target Score

The greater point increase you’re looking for, the longer you’ll need to study. For example, if you want to increase your score by 50 to 100 points, you need to do that in 3 months with an hour or two of studying each day + at least 3 to 4 hours during weekends.

What are your strengths?

Think about your strong points, and then focus on your weaknesses. Get into the habit of studying for as long as you can. If you do that, you will feel much more confident about being able to compensate for your shortcomings when the test day arrives.